


Past Sundown

by swordsafety



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars The Force Awakens
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Southern AU, a lil bit of angst, finns the son of the mayor and poes a farm boy, gift for a friend!, trans Finn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 17:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15248256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swordsafety/pseuds/swordsafety
Summary: Finn's bare form sinks into the lake, ripples following him as he swims out further away from land. And Poe can't help but watch, jealous of the way the water forms to Finn’s frame. It's unnervingly quiet. Even the crickets from before seem to have stopped their incessant chirping to witness the spectacle. It seems like they’re the only two people in this deadbeat town.A part of him wishes that were true.





	Past Sundown

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hormoneinjections](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=hormoneinjections).



> this is like... mostly based on a conversation i had with hormoneinjections on tumblr abt his au because his mind. ugh...  
> it's an excerpt of something that might become a bigger thing, but honestly i have no idea i was just really bored and love my friends so i wanted to write

“What, _Golden Child Finn_ is gonna go skinny dippin’? Don'cha have people who do that for you?”

Finn laughs. “You’re askin’ me if I have butlers who go skinny dippin’ so _I_ don’t have to?”

In hindsight, it does sound stupid. Poe shrugs, and Finn only continues to snicker. He relents a smile eventually, feet kicking at something miniscule on the ground. Finn laces his fingers between Poe’s and takes a half step forward, tugging on him gently. He trusts Poe, and he knows that Poe trusts him too. It’s just that for once in what seems like forever, the ever reckless Poe Dameron, is being hesitant. Finn kneads his thumb against the top of Poe’s hand in encouragement.

“Now, c’mon.”

“Finn, _wait--_ ” Poe reluctantly gets urged forward.

“You chicken?”

Poe scrunches up his face, and Finn stares him down behind those dark hooded eyes. Finn’s challenging him, this was a game. Poe wasn’t one to back down from these types of things. He starts to speak before Finn can even think about making clucking noises.

“No, I’m not _chicken_. _You_ should be chicken, this isn’t like you.”

Finn lets his hand go. Poe’s gone wide eyed like he’s said something wrong. But, Finn doesn’t do this! That’s not his thing. He thinks before he acts, he’s rational, he’s calculated. And, he most definitely wouldn’t go _butt-naked_ into a lake. They haven't been friends for all that long, but it’s like they've known each other their whole lives. They could be more than just pals, if one looked between the lines. Finn folds his arms across his chest and Poe can feel the wave of scrutiny.

“Like me?” His lips turn up at the corners, scoffing. “Do tell.”

“ _Uh-uh,_ I’m not doin’ this,” Poe shakes his head. “This is a set up. You know what I mean.”

“No, since you seem to know so much about me-- more than I do myself, apparently-- go ahead.”

Finn seems all but intrigued, eyes glittering with amusement as Poe stumbles over himself. He’s relentless. Poe shoots his gaze at the dirt, before gathering the courage to look Finn back in the eye. By all means, Poe had the floor to speak, though it certainly didn’t feel that way.

“I know that you were born with a _silver spoon_  up your butt.”

“You and the rest of the town,” Finn says. “What else is new?”

“I know that you’re not even allowed out the house after eight.”

“Lucky for us, it just so happens to be  _nine,_ " Finn grins.

“Yeah, an’ your ma’s probably got the whole town out here lookin’ for you as it is.”

He’s not wrong. Ever since Finn snuck out the first time, she’s had heavy watch on him. Routine checks every hour or so if he’s been particularly quiet, or just happened to retire to his room a bit too easily. Finn knows that much is true, at least.

“Well, then, we should be quick and stop all this talkin’,” Finn tugs on Poe’s hand again.

“What would she think?” Poe asks. “About _this?_ ”

Finn stills, weighing the outcomes in his head. When he comes home soaking wet and freezing, she’s bound to ask what happened. To which he’ll lie to mommy dearest and spin a tale, as he has grown accustomed to doing every now and then.

“She thinks alotta things,” Finn’s fingers snake up Poe’s arm. They tease him, leaving a trail of goosebumps in their wake.

“I don’t want ya’ gettin’ into any trouble, Finn,” Poe stops his hand. “Not ‘cause of me.”

“You think I’m doin’ this ‘cause of _you?_ Like you’re a bad influence, is that it?” Finn says, squinting. “You think you’re temptin’ me. That I can’t possibly resist the _charms_ of Poe Dameron, the pig wrangler.”

“I don’t just wrangle pigs…” Poe says, voice no louder than a murmur.  
  
“ _Whatever_. I'm grown, I can make my own decisions. You’re free to join me, if ya’ like.”

Poe shuts his eyes, mentally berating himself. Finn lets him go and walks farther from him. Each crunch against the dirt, a slap in Poe’s face. He hopes the mosquitos eat him alive before the embarrassment does. Swatting at one of the bloodthirsty creatures on his neck wakes him from his sudden shame.

“And for the record…” Finn takes off his shoes, kicking them off along the shore. “There’s alotta things you an’ my momma don’t know about me, Poe.”

Poe opens his mouth to try and persuade him otherwise one last time. The words get stuck when a pair of trousers fling themselves to the dirt, right across his line of sight. His mouth gets unbearably dry, jaw slack and threatening to hit the ground. Some boxers follow, flying through the air… then, a shirt...

Finn's bare form sinks into the lake, ripples following him as he swims out further away from land. And Poe can't help but watch, jealous of the way the water forms to Finn’s frame. He wades effortlessly in the lake, moonlight cascading over beads of water on his skin. It's unnervingly quiet. Even the crickets from before seem to have stopped their incessant chirping to witness the spectacle. It seems like they’re the only two people in this deadbeat town. A part of him wishes that were true.

Finn’s covered from the neck down, bobbing slightly about. He smiles at Poe from across the way, arms working to keep himself in place. Every fiber of Poe’s being is telling him to run out into the water with him, abandoning the burdens of his clothing.

“You comin’, farm boy?”

Finn looks like a siren, beckoning for Poe to join him with his silent song. He would gladly let Finn drown him, if that’s what it had to come to. He takes a single step forward before halting. He then bites the inside of his cheek, fists knit tightly at his sides.

“... what on _Earth_ has gotten into you?”

“Nothin’…” Finn tilts his head to a side. “Maybe ya’ shouldn’t judge people before you get to know them.”

Poe shakes his head, smiling.

“Now, are you comin’ in or do I have to come out an’ get'cha myself?”

“You wouldn’t dare.”

Finn starts to make his way back over to him, but not before having Poe shout from the shoreline. He waves his arms about, warding him back. Finn stops when Poe gets frantic, treading the water once more.

“That’s not necessary, really!”

“ _Fine…_ I guess I'll just have to tell everyone that Poe Dameron is all talk. Nothin’ but a big ol’ showboater,” he says. “This town's only so big, word’ll spread fast.”

“You're blackmailin’ me?”

“I'm the son of a politician, aren’t I?” Finn says.

Poe laughs, a toothy smile stretching across his face. He just stands there for a moment, watching as Finn somehow manages to steal the spotlight away from the very moon. Then, with the last shred of sense ripped from his mind, he takes off his shoes. Poe’s pants follow… Finn's smile only grows from there. He stands on the shore, hands on his hips as Finn spectates.

“Are ya’ happy now?”

Finn nods.

He puts a toe in the water. It's cool to the touch. Not freezing like it had been the past couple of weeks. No wonder Finn had the mind to just slink right in. Soon, he too becomes enveloped by the lake. Poe meets with Finn, kicking his legs out behind him as he swims. He treads the water in front of him, staring at Finn's damp face. There's little droplets of water stuck in the hairs of Finn's eyebrows… and his curly, curly eyelashes…

Now's a better time than any to say something, surely.

“Y'look nice,” Poe says. “You look nice with your clothes on too-- I can't see nothin’, ‘m not lookin’ neither-- I just…” 

Finn almost stops kicking altogether. His face softens and blooms into something sweet as he smiles. Though, he's a whole birthday suit too late to be bashful now. “You sayin’ I'm pretty?”

“You're gorgeous.”

Finn laughs into his chest, and Poe smiles. “D’ya fancy me, Poe Dameron?”

“More than I can express in words.”

He’s so embarrassing. Finn’s face grows hot and the cool water does nothing to relieve him, it might as well be boiling at this point. He bites his lip, wanting to tell him to shut up. Poe hasn’t stopped looking hopeless and lovesick, since he opened his mouth.

“... I didn’t mean what I said earlier,” Finn says. “About the pig wranglin’ thing… it’s kinda cute.”

“Yeah?”

“Just a lil’ bit,” Finn inches closer to Poe, tip of his nose just barely brushing against his.

They just stay there for a moment, just kicking against the water, an invisible barrier between their two bodies. The lake is impossibly still, even with the two of them treading the water. Finn searches his face for any sort of rejection, but Poe looks like he's expectant on something-- like he's hoping for it. There's a hesitance there and it's palpable. He lets his eyes flutter shut, and Poe does the same. Finn tilts his head and leans forward… his breath ghosting against Poe's lips...

Footsteps.

He doesn't know how many, but they're making their way through the forest. Finn stops and spins to look behind him, the shine of multiple flashlights peak from the trees.

“ _Shit,_ ” he pushes down on Poe’s shoulders and he disappears below the water. Finn follows suit.

He raises his finger to his lips, when Poe eyes shoot back open-- his worst case scenario about Finn, the siren, seemingly coming true. Finn then points up to the surface, and Poe watches the lights dance across above them. It's only when the commotion from the shore stops do they come up for air with a gasping breath. Poe runs a hand through his hair, pulling it away from his face. They kick about, panting.

“C’mon,” Finn pulls on his arm and leads him towards land.

They scramble to gather their clothes, tripping over themselves in their haste. They laugh, one trying to shush the other and failing horribly as they try to find a place to hide. The footsteps barrel past them again, and Finn hears his name mentioned more than once. They remain quiet for the most part, even with the giggling every now and then. They’re both shivering, even as they embrace behind a tree.

“Wait, listen…” Finn says.

The talking ceases and the lights fade. Finn peeks around a branch to see if they're in the clear... there's not a single person in sight. They turn to each other and laugh, foreheads bumping against each other. They soon stop and cast their gaze to the ground between them, budding moment ending as soon as it began.

“Sorry,” they both say.

Poe realizes that he has Finn by the waist, fingers snug against the damp fabric of his shirt. Finn looks down at the hands wrapped around him before staring back at Poe. His own grip secure around Poe’s arms, a hand resting on his bicep.

“ _Sorry,_ ” they both say again, parting from each other.

Poe lets go of him, arms now hanging loosely at his sides. Finn rubs at his own arm, taking a half step back.

“We should probably get goin’...” Finn says, walking away from the tree. He motions for Poe to come and join him, holding his hand out. Poe takes it.

They walk for a few miles in soaking wet clothing, socks squishing in their shoes. The two huddle as close to each other as they can, the breeze, a cold lash across their backs. Finn frowns when a branch scrapes along his arm, tearing his shirt in the process. Something else for his mother to be upset about.

“Finn, this isn’t the way back to town.”

“I know.”

“Finn…” He falters in his steps, feet now dragging along with Finn’s lead.

He stops and spins around to face Poe, lines set into his face. His brows lay heavy over top of his eyes. It’s a face he hasn’t really seen on Finn before, it doesn’t sit too good. It’s a look of desperation-- of sadness, of frustration.

“ _What?_ ”

Poe bites back whatever he was going to say. He loves being with Finn, really he does, but there’s a nagging, sinking feeling in his gut. Poe would love more than anything else to continue to spend time with him, but he can’t do that if Finn’s locked away in his room for the rest of his days.

“Finn, we gotta take you back."

“I’m not going back," he spits the words out like they're poison.

“Do you wanna be on the run for the rest of our lives?”

“You said _our lives_ ,” Finn smiles.

“ _Your life, our lives--_ whichever, Finn, I’m serious,” Poe clasps a hand around his shoulder. “I don't wanna lose you... don't know what I would do if I couldn't see ya' again.”

He puts a hand over Poe’s, “... I’m serious too.”

Poe makes a face.

“ _Kinda,_ at least,” Finn says. “Just… hear me out, okay? Do ya’ trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Then, come with me,” Finn begins to walk again.

He sounds absolutely defeated. The spark and quickness that Finn once displayed, now a dull hum. It’s enough to break Poe’s heart. He feels the pieces collect into that ever growing pit in his stomach, as Finn continues to push branches out of their way. They come upon a shack. Finn pushes back the boards that lean against the door. Fallen leaves and vines litter across the small building; it almost blends in with the forest completely, lost to the wilderness. He opens the door and guides Poe in, floorboards creaking as they enter.

It’s definitely more homey inside, an overwhelming sense of comfort rolls over the both of them. Finn’s decorated it. There’s small trinkets and pictures of flowers all across the walls. It smells of sandalwood. The tiny house is surprisingly clean for being out in the middle of nowhere, rugs covering the more unsightly parts of the flooring. Finn closes the door behind them, and Poe is left standing in the middle of it all. Something that easily resembles a den lies in front of him. There’s a makeshift pantry to his left, from what Poe can see, it’s stocked with nothing but junk food. There’s another door to his right that may or may not lead to a bathroom.

“I come here sometimes… to think. Kinda like a home away from home,” Finn says. “I know it’s not much, but it’s a work in progress… feel free t'get cozy.”

“No, no, it’s nice,” Poe says. “Y'did all this…? By yourself?”

“I found the shack… but, the inside, that’s all me,” Finn says. “Ya’ really like it?”

“Yeah, it’s… _impressive,_ Finn. Really…”

“Thanks,” he smiles.

Finn crosses in front of Poe to take a seat on the couch. He then pats the spot next to him. Poe happily obliges and goes to sit with him. Finn leans over, and Poe falls with the weight . He now lounges completely on the couch, Finn half on top of him. Poe had thought he'd fallen asleep, before he started speaking again.

“... I know my momma don’t like you, ‘n all,” he says. "She says she's just tryna' look out for me... says 'm supposed to take her place someday. That I'll make a _great_ mayor..."

“Well, look on the bright side. If the pneumonia doesn't kill us, she sure will."

“ _Poe,_ " Finn shushes him. "Then, it's a good thing we don't need t'worry about her. We can live here... just the two of us,” he rests his head on Poe’s chest, hand laying flat underneath his collarbone.

Poe leans his cheek against the top of Finn’s head, hand coming up to rub in little circles on his back. He wants to laugh, but he isn’t sure if Finn really means all this or not. He couldn’t just _leave_ , he’s got a mom, a dad, a farm... a horse. Who all love him very much.

“What about BB-8?”

“We can go back an' get BB-8 later,” he says. “She can live here too... I always did like horses.”

"You're good with 'em," Poe says. He can feel Finn smile against his chest.

“Jess n’ Snap can come too, if they wanna.”

“I got a family, Finn,” Poe says. The words come out faster than he would like them to, putting an end to the fantasy they both wished for.

Finn swallows, lump bobbing in his throat. It sits heavy in the growing silence between them. He knits his fingers deeper into Poe’s shirt. Finn noses into his chest somemore, breathing in whatever fading cologne he’d put on that morning. It’s lost to the smell of pond water. Poe winces, more so at the words that left his own mouth than the grip Finn has. He knows Finn’s upset, he doesn’t like telling him ‘no’-- even now, as they lay together and shudder into the couch. He doesn’t suspect Finn put an AC in here.

“... can ya’, at least, stay here ‘til mornin’...?”

There’s a unsettling tremor in his voice. Poe sighs. A tightness in his chest growing when two drops of what he can only assume to be tears hit his shirt, and they’re not his own. Finn sniffs, burying his face further against him.

“Finn…” He holds onto Finn’s other arm with his free hand.

“I know I’m not one o’ your pigs, or your cows…”

“Alright, alright,” Poe laughs, replacing the small circling motions with a pat. “Ya’ twisted my arm.”

“... thanks, Poe,” he closes his eyes. “G’night.”

“Night, Finn.”

Though, Finn doesn’t go to sleep, not easily. Even with Poe’s warmth pressed up against him, fingers kneading into his back. The cloth still wet to the touch. He wants to stay here with Poe forever. Away from the town, away from the rumors, his legacy-- his mother, all of it. Finn knows it can’t be like that, but this fleeting moment was enough to give him a little bit of hope.

Even it is all for nothing in the end.


End file.
